Current connectors on the market consist of a number of moving parts, typically a standard front end which consists of an inner terminal, an outer terminal, insulator and a moveable back nut which encapsulates a number of seals, retaining rings and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,532 shows one such connector, having a back nut which encapsulates three different moving parts (a locking device, guide surface and inner sleeve) as well as three separate O-ring seals. The large number of moving parts in the back nut portion complicates the fitting of a coaxial cable which usually requires the use of several specialized tools. Additionally, the risk of connector malfunctioning and mounting problems increases with a higher number of moving parts, since there is a greater chance that at least one part may be defective, missing or incorrectly attached.
Furthermore, due to the large number of moving parts encapsulated in the back nut of most conventional connectors, the outer conductor must be thoroughly cleared of all glue and adhesive material that may hinder or jam the parts during mounting and tightening, or a poor electrical connection may result. This process can prove to be quite difficult and time-consuming.
The manufacture and assembly of conventional connectors is also expensive in terms of time taken and material costs due to the number of parts enclosed in the back nut, which have to be manufactured and assembled.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention is to provide a simple, yet effective method of securely connecting a coaxial cable with either a corrugated or non-corrugated outer conductor to a coaxial connector.
A further object of the invention is to provide an economic and effective connector for coaxial cables.
A further object is to provide a connector having a simple design and a limited number of parts, thus reducing manufacturing expense and assembly time.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art as the description of the present invention proceeds.